Methods for operating braking systems as well as corresponding braking systems of the type named at the outset are known from the related art. Systems and methods are known especially under the concept of braking assistant, which support the driver during braking in emergency situations. It is provided, in this context, that the braking system automatically initiates full braking when it is recognized that the driver is in a dangerous situation, and that as quick as possible a braking should be achieved, that is, as short a length of brake path as possible. As is well known, the emergency situation is detected in that a rate of change conditioned upon the operation of a brake pedal of the braking system is recorded and is compared to a specifiable threshold value.
Thus, it is Laid-Open German patent document DE 195 24 939 Al, for example, indicates that one may use the rate of change in the pressure in a hydraulic braking system of the braking system as the decisive criterion for initiating an automatic braking process. If the driver operates the brake pedal especially fast, and using great force, a high rate of change comes about in the pressure in the hydraulic braking system thereby acted upon. If the rate of change exceeds the specifiable threshold value, which was specified before the vehicle, or rather the braking system, was put into operation, the automatic braking process is triggered.